Traditionally coarse grain tungsten carbide powders were produced by mixing a coarse tungsten metal powder with carbon and holding this mix at high temperatures for relatively long periods of time. This process is not only energy intensive and time consuming but would inherently produce particles only partially carburized (having a tungsten core). Upon subsequent milling and/or blending with cobalt (or other binder material) during the production of a carbide grade powder, these partially carburized particles would produce an excessive amount of fine tungsten carbide particles and free tungsten metal. After the sintering of this powder an inhomogeneous microstructure would result. The inhomogeneous microstructure is believed to be detrimental to the consistent performance of the sintered cemented tungsten carbide article which is typically a workpiece.